Mastering the Art of French Cooking - September 2019 Supper Club hosted by Katharina

We had a lovely evening with dishes prepared from Julia Child's classic "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and other works of hers. We enjoyed several bottles of delicious French wine - a Riesling from the Alsace, a Rosé, a Côtes du Rhône and a Pinot Noir. It was wonderful to welcome Susanna and Annali as guests to our Supper Club for the evening.

For starters, we had potato salad made by Susanna, "timbales de maïs" made by Lauren, and a salmon snack prepared by Katharina.

Timbale des Mais (Corn Timbale aka Savory Custard) from Julia Child (Julia's Kitchen Wisdom)

Softened Butter  - for the mold/ramekins
4 large eggs
2 Cups Corn (scraped from cod or frozen)
2 Tbs Grated Onion
.5 Cup fresh bread crumbs, white bread preferred
1 Tbs Chopped Parsley (I used Italian Parsley)
2 oz Grated Cheese: Swiss, Cheddar, and/or Mozzarella. (or you can pack down .5 cup measure with cheese)
.5 Cup Cream or Milk
.5 tsp Salt
Several grinds of pepper
Tabasco (optional)

1. Butter individual ramekins or 1 large one (4-5 cup capacity), making sure you get hte sides and bottom.

2. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees and move a rack to lower third of oven. Prepare a roasting pan to hold the ramekins and set up a kettle to make hot water.

3.Whisk the eggs together, then fold in corn, onion, bread crumbs, parsley, cheese, cream or milk, salt, and pepper. 

4.Ladle the mixture into the ramekins, so it is 2/3 of the way up the side. If you are using the single large ramekin, add all the mixture. Put the ramekin/ramekins in the roasting pan and  put the pan in the oven

5. Add the boiling water started in step 1 to the roasting pan until water is halfway up the sides of the ramekin/ramekins. Bake 5 minutes, then lower temperature to 325 degrees and bake 25 minutes more. If water is boiling and not bubbling lightly, adjust heat down.

6. Test the timbales by inserting a skewer in the center. When the skewer is clean, timbales are done.

7. To unmold the timbales, run a knife around the inside of the individual ramekin to release it, then turn the ramekin over on a plate. For the large ramekin, run the knife,but scoop out portions.

Our main course was "Rôti de porc aux navets", a pork roast with turnips, made by Katharina.

Christiane made Ratatouille as a side dish.

The desserts were a "Tarte Tatin" by Kim, and a "Gâteau Reine de Saba" by Annali.